Three Years Later
by Facescar
Summary: What happens when what seems like the start of something more gets cut short? First Fan-Fiction. Pearlshipping Dawn X Ash. One-shot.


**Hey guys! Facescar here!**

**This is my first fan-fic, written about a month ago. I originally wrote it for a contest on Serebii, but I decided to fix some errors / plot-holes and post it here fore you guys too! While this is a one-shot, I might expand on this concept later. Please enjoy, and remember to leave reviews so I can improve for next time!**

**While this is a Pearlshipping fan-fic, it is a much sadder one than you might be used to, and it references something from each major saga, so see if you can get every one. I wasn't a great writer when I wrote this, so be nice!**

**Short and... sour... odd.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, or at least I don't think so.**

Three Years Later

"This Darkrai has taken out two of Ash's pokemon! Will the challenger from Pallet Town be able to recover in time?" The voice of that oh-so-familiar announcer rang through Ash's ears as he stood before his greatest challenge yet. He'd taken down the Battle Frontier, the Orange Islands, and 32 gyms, but this was the biggest battle of his life.

"As the smoke clears from those vicious attacks, who will take the battle?" cried the announcer. Infernape stood, battered and bruised, before the hovering and seemingly unaffected Darkrai. But just as Infernape began to collapse, defeated, Darkrai suddenly closed its eyes and hit the floor. "And there goes the battle!"

Ash had finally won. All his dreams had finally come true, and he felt like he was flying.

In Pallet Town, Misty, May, Delia, and Prof. Oak celebrate together, happy that their friend, son, and pupil has finally won.

Ash stood, nearly stunned by his unexpected victory at the Sinnoh league challenge. Soon, he is greeted by an ecstatic Dawn, who gives him a huge high five. But this time Ash seems to react differently. On the surface, everything seems similar, but something is different. Something, somewhere seems to have finally awoken inside of him. Perhaps it was finally achieving his life-long goal that did it, but he was different now. He and Dawn hug for a few seconds, causing Misty's Azumarill to spit water all over the floor in surprise and shock.

Almost a week later, at the Pallet Town celebration party, almost every key character from Ash's journey is there to celebrate. May and Lyra have come over from Johto after their respective tournaments, and May has, like Ash, finally triumphed over her rivals. Misty and Brock are both there, as Misty has finally gotten another break from her gym. Gary and Dawn are both there (representing Sinnoh), as is every regional researcher Ash has met on his way through the 4 major regions. Bill, Anabel, Angie, and Macy show up as well, here to greet their colleague, friend, and subject of worship, respectively.

In addition, Ash meets with all of his pokemon. His teams from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh all come together at last. All present except for those he had released or left for training.

But Dawn is nowhere to be seen, at least, not yet.

After a few hours at the party, Ash finds Dawn out towards the edge of the yard, but she doesn't seem happy anymore. The pure glee on her face after his victory was now replaced by a saddened, drooping expression. Even from yards away, Ash can see that she has been crying. When Ash tries to ask what's wrong, Dawn just turns away, muttering something about having to go, and about… a promise. She runs towards Ash, giving him a weak hug before she turns away for the final time. She runs off with Piplup running close behind her, audible cries rushing back towards a shocked Ash. Piplup looks back for a second before continuing to run after Dawn. Ash seems crushed, and walks slowly back into the house. Misty, seeing this, holds herself back to let Ash settle things himself. However she grows increasingly worried after Ash doesn't come out for a while. When she finally tries to follow him, he is gone.

However, from the next room over she hears a faint "pikapi" (Pikachu's name for Ash). She rushes into the room, hoping to see Ash talking with Pikachu, but instead sees Pikachu alone, crying, on the coffee table. Also on the table is the Sinnoh League trophy. Inside it is Misty's Special (her lure) and her napkin from Johto, neatly folded around a small note. In addition, the other half of May's ribbon and a variety of other mementos of Ash's journey are in the trophy. On the table near it is a small smattering of notes. One for Prof. Oak, one for Delia Ketchum, and one each for May and Dawn. On Dawn's note is a soothe bell.

Soon afterwards, the living room is filled with all the main characters from earlier. Noticeably, the only missing memento in the pile Ashe left behind was the pokeball Ash once split in half with Gary. All the characters seem worried, particularly Misty, who is holding Pikachu with a look of concern etched deep into her face.

The camera cuts out to above the Ketchum residence. In the distance, a Pidgeot and two Butterfree can be seen together, flying in an ever-retreating circle. In our final look at the town where everything began, we see Professor Oak and Pikachu walking slowly back towards the researcher's lab. That is where, on that day of April Fools so long ago, Ketchum began to follow in the footsteps of his perpetually missing father.

Along another path starts Brock, ready to pursue his dream of become the world's best breeder. He starts again on the all-too-familiar road to Pewter City. It is a route he has walked many times before, but this will be his last time down this path. Misty is seen running off ahead of Brock, chasing desperately after whatever the flying pokemon might represent. May gloomily returns to a port that will take her away to her Hoenn home. Her trophy now hangs limply, swinging slowly, forgotten despite it resting heavily in her hand.

Ms. Ketchum stands in the doorway to her house, watching as everyone leaves once again. She carefully dusts off Ash's past trophies, and places his ultimate prize in the center of her now crowded mantle. She places Ash's original hat on his newly minted trophy and sighs softly.

The ending scene is in two parts. In one, Dawn is running, crying, towards Twinleaf Town as dusk begins, approaching the house where her mom can be seen waiting for her. The camera pans up towards where Ho-oh flies, returning from Sinnoh to the far-off yet familiar land of Johto.

In Johto, Ash arrives at a pokemon center as dawn breaks over a clean yet dangerous land. He enters through the automatic doors, not talking, eyes hidden beneath his hat. Soon he is finished with his preparations. When he leaves, it is suddenly clear where he is, as a Larvitar spots him and runs over happily, as if greeting a long lost friend. Ash does not smile in recognition, but picks up his old pal and starts up the mountain path towards a clouded and snowy peak. The new champion marches through grass and over hills, with no buddy beside him, no friend on his shoulder, and no "light" to guide his path. Ash, like the character he was originally based upon so long ago, has finally returned to Mt. Silver.

At the end, there is no "To Be Continued...". The journey of Ash, Dawn, and pokemon is finally done.

**So! Ash becomes Red from the GSC HGSS games, and Dawn is pulled away at the last second by the promise she made to Kenny in DP 180 (this is not to support Penguinshipping in the slightest).**

**I kinda wrote this when I was in a bad mood about Pearlshipping in general because of the end of DP, but I promise that my next story will be longer, better, and much, much more cheery. Well, actually from what I can tell so far it won't be very cheery outside of the Pearlshipping aspects... Anyways, I promise that my next story is going to be awesome :), so stay tuned!**

**Thanks!**

**-Facescar**


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